Who Can Carry Out a Fire Risk Assessment

A fire risk assessment can be carried out by the person responsible for the premises, but only if they have enough knowledge, experience and confidence to assess the fire risks properly. For simple premises, some business owners may feel able to do this themselves. For more complex buildings, shared premises, blocks of flats, HMOs or properties with sleeping accommodation, it is usually better to appoint a competent fire risk assessor.

The key word is competent. A fire risk assessment is not just a form to complete. It is a judgement about the building, how it is used, who may be at risk and whether the fire safety arrangements are suitable. Official fire safety guidance explains that the person carrying out the assessment should have enough training, experience, knowledge and other qualities to do the job properly.

For landlords, managing agents and business owners, the issue is not simply whether someone is allowed to complete the assessment. The real question is whether the assessment would stand up to scrutiny if there was a complaint, insurance query, enforcement visit or fire safety concern. A report that misses obvious risks, gives vague actions or fails to reflect the building properly can leave the person responsible with more problems than answers.

ClearFire carries out fire risk assessments across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. Jon and Kevin work directly with landlords, managing agents, HMO operators, office owners and local businesses that need clear advice from experienced assessors. This article explains who can carry out a fire risk assessment, what competence means and when it is sensible to use a professional.

What competence means in fire risk assessment

Competence means having the right combination of knowledge, experience and judgement for the premises being assessed. It is not only about having read a checklist or downloaded a template. The person carrying out the assessment needs to understand fire hazards, escape routes, building use, people at risk, fire doors, alarms, emergency lighting, management records and the way fire safety arrangements work together.

A small, low-risk office may be fairly straightforward. A block of flats, shared commercial building, HMO or warehouse can be very different. These buildings often involve shared responsibilities, sleeping risk, resident behaviour, common escape routes, maintenance records and different people controlling different parts of the premises. The assessor needs to understand those issues before giving advice.

Competence should match the risk. A person may be capable of assessing a very simple premises but not a larger or more complicated building. That is where problems can happen. A landlord, employer or managing agent may think the assessment has been done because a document exists, but the document may not be suitable for the property.

Can the Responsible Person do it themselves

The Responsible Person may be able to carry out their own fire risk assessment if the premises are simple and they genuinely understand what they are assessing. This might apply to a very small, straightforward business premises where the layout is simple, the number of people is low and the risks are easy to identify.

The problem is that many people do not know what they have missed. Fire safety risks are not always obvious to someone who does not assess buildings regularly. A blocked escape route may be easy to see, but weaker issues can be missed. Poor fire door condition, unclear responsibility in a shared building, weak testing records, unsuitable emergency lighting coverage or poor compartmentation clues may not stand out to an untrained person.

Doing the assessment yourself also means taking responsibility for the quality of the judgement. If there is a fire, complaint or inspection, the question will not be whether a form was filled in. The question will be whether the assessment was suitable and sufficient for the building. That is why many landlords, managing agents and business owners choose to use a professional fire risk assessor, even where the premises appear simple.

When a professional fire risk assessor is the better choice

A professional fire risk assessor is usually the better choice when the premises are shared, rented, multi-occupied, used for sleeping accommodation or managed on behalf of someone else. These settings are more likely to involve questions around control, maintenance responsibility, escape routes, fire doors, alarms, resident or staff information and record keeping.

Managing agents often need a professional report because they have to show directors, freeholders, leaseholders or insurers that the building has been assessed properly. Landlords may need a report for HMO licensing, council queries, insurance checks or property records. Business owners may need a clear assessment for staff safety, visitor safety and general compliance.

A professional assessment also helps where the person responsible does not have enough time to complete the work properly. Fire risk assessment is not only a site walkaround. The assessor must look at the building, understand how it is used, consider relevant people, review fire safety measures and produce findings that can be acted on. A rushed internal assessment can easily become a paperwork exercise rather than a useful safety document.

Who might carry out the assessment

Why templates are not enough for many buildings

Templates can be useful for understanding the basic areas a fire risk assessment should cover, but they cannot replace the judgement of a competent person. A template does not know how the building is managed. It cannot see whether fire doors are damaged, whether escape routes are practical, whether records are missing or whether responsibilities are split between several parties.

A completed template can also give false confidence. It may look tidy and complete, but that does not mean the risks have been properly understood. Fire risk assessments need to reflect the actual premises, not a general version of what a building might be like.

For landlords and business owners, the attraction of a template is usually cost. It feels cheaper at the start. The risk is that a weak assessment may cost more later if it leads to unclear actions, missed risks, repeated contractor visits or problems during an insurance or enforcement query. A proper assessment should reduce uncertainty rather than create it.

What a competent assessor should look at

A competent assessor should look at how a fire could start, how it might spread and how people would escape. They should consider the building layout, who uses the premises, whether anyone may be more vulnerable, how people are warned, whether escape routes are suitable and whether fire safety equipment and systems are being managed.

The assessment should also consider records. Fire alarm testing, emergency lighting checks, fire extinguisher servicing, staff training, fire drills, contractor maintenance and previous actions all help show whether the building is being managed properly. Missing records do not always mean a building is unsafe, but they can make it harder to show that the right checks are being carried out.

The final report should be clear. It should explain the findings in a way the client can use. A managing agent should be able to understand which actions need urgent attention and which are routine. A landlord should be able to see what needs doing before a licence renewal or tenant query. A business owner should be able to understand what affects staff, customers and visitors.

Why qualifications and experience matter

Qualifications and experience help show that an assessor has taken the work seriously and understands the subject. They are not the only things that matter, but they are important trust signals. A person assessing fire risk should have suitable training and enough experience with the type of premises being inspected.

A block of flats is not the same as a small office. An HMO is not the same as a warehouse. A shared commercial building is not the same as a single shop. The assessor should understand the type of building and the issues that usually arise within it.

Clients should also look at insurance, reporting standards, reviews and whether they can speak directly with the assessor. Fire risk assessment is not a product that should be bought only on price. The lowest quote is not always the best value if the report is vague, late, hard to understand or unsuitable for the premises.

Fire risk assessments for managing agents

Managing agents need assessors who understand property management. A report for a block of flats or mixed-use building has to work for the people who will use it after the site visit. That may include property managers, directors, freeholders, residents, contractors and insurers.

A good assessor should help the managing agent understand priorities. Some findings may need prompt action. Some may need a contractor. Some may be routine management items. If the report does not make that clear, the managing agent is left trying to interpret the risk and explain it to others.

ClearFire’s approach suits managing agents because clients deal directly with Jon and Kevin. There is no handover from a salesperson to an unknown assessor. The person assessing the building understands what has been seen on site and can produce a report that helps the managing agent move forward.

Fire risk assessments for landlords

Landlords often need a competent assessor when there are communal areas, shared escape routes, HMOs, tenant changes or licence requirements. These properties can create risk because the landlord may not see how the building is used every day. Tenants may store items in corridors, damage doors, change room use or fail to report issues quickly.

A fire risk assessment helps the landlord understand what is happening in the areas they control. It can also help with records if a council, insurer, tenant or future buyer asks questions. The report should show what was assessed, what issues were found and what actions should be taken.

For HMO landlords, competence is especially important because sleeping accommodation carries greater risk. People may be asleep when a fire starts, may not react quickly and may rely on shared escape routes. A report for this type of property needs to be more than a basic checklist.

Fire risk assessments for business owners

Business owners may need an assessor when they do not have the knowledge or time to complete the assessment themselves. This is common for offices, shops, salons, warehouses and small commercial units where the owner wants to make sure staff, customers and visitors are protected.

The assessment should consider the way the business actually operates. An office with changing desk layouts, a shop with seasonal displays, a warehouse with changing stock and a salon with electrical equipment all have different risks. A competent assessor should pick up those differences and explain what matters.

For many SME owners, the main benefit is confidence. They want to know whether their premises are broadly suitable, what actions are needed and whether their records are in order. A clear report makes fire safety easier to manage alongside the rest of the business.

Questions to ask before choosing an assessor

Before choosing a fire risk assessor, it is worth checking whether they have experience with your type of premises. A person who mainly works on small shops may not be the right fit for a block of flats or HMO. A person who mainly works on large corporate sites may not give the most practical advice for a small local business.

It is also worth asking who will carry out the assessment. Some companies sell the service centrally and then send whoever is available. That can make the process feel impersonal, and it may be harder to speak to the person who actually inspected the property. ClearFire is different because Jon and Kevin are the assessors clients deal with from the start.

The report itself also matters. Ask whether the findings will be written clearly, whether actions will be prioritised and whether the report will be suitable for your records. A fire risk assessment should not leave you wondering what to do next.

Why ClearFire is a strong choice

ClearFire is positioned as a qualified, local and plain-speaking fire risk assessment service. The work is carried out by experienced assessors who understand the needs of managing agents, landlords and business owners across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

Clients choose ClearFire because they want direct contact, clear reports and sensible advice. Jon and Kevin are not an anonymous national provider or a lead generation website. They are the people carrying out the assessments, writing the reports and helping clients understand the findings.

That matters when the assessment is being used for real decisions. A landlord may need to act before a licence renewal. A managing agent may need to update directors. A business owner may need to brief staff or deal with an insurer. ClearFire provides reports that are written to be used, not just filed.

Book a fire risk assessment with ClearFire

If you are unsure who should carry out your fire risk assessment, the safest starting point is to look at the building and the level of risk. A very simple premises may be suitable for an internal assessment if the Responsible Person has enough knowledge. A shared, rented, residential, commercial or more complex building is usually better assessed by a competent professional.

ClearFire carries out fire risk assessments for landlords, managing agents, HMO operators, office owners and local businesses across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. The assessment is carried out by an experienced local assessor, and the report gives you a clear record of the findings. Contact ClearFire to request a quote for a fire risk assessment.